(This was originally published on DIYCollegeRankings.com)
3 Steps to Show You Why You Should Visit CollegeData.com:
- Select College Match Search from the College 411 Tab Menu.
- Scroll to the Financial Friendliness Section. Under Merit Aid, check Include Only Students Without Financial Need. Select 30% or higher
- Scroll down and click Find
You now have a list of colleges where 30% or more of students without need receive merit aid.
What to Look For when Using CollegeData.com
Colleges Found Table (The Search Results)
Besides College Results Online, COLLEGEdata is the only other website that lists significant information in a table for comparison purposes. The table lists the Percentage of Need Met and the Percentage of Freshman Receiving Merit Aid. It also includes the four-year graduation rate.
Money Matters Option
The dropdown arrow by each college name will take you the specific college profile. Start with the Money Matters option. What you want to pay attention to is the Profile of Financial Aid option. Spend some time getting to know the different numbers listed, especially the Average Percentage of Need Met and the Percentage of students with no Financial Need Receiving Merit-Based Gift Aid. Be sure to compare the stats for the Freshman with those for All Undergraduates for possible signs of gapping.